The present invention relates to a forming apparatus for performing bending operations in multiple directions to form products of desired shapes by feeding, punching and cutting materials such as wires or strips and by timing and sequentially operating a plurality of bending slides. More particularly, the invention relates to both a method of replacing a forming disc having a bending slide attached thereto and an apparatus for practicing that method.
In the forming portion of a conventional forming apparatus of this type used for continuous manufacturing, a plate located at the front of the forming portion is made integral with the machine body so that it cannot be attached or detached and slid. To that integral plate, there are attached bending slides, gear mechanisms for actuating the bending slides, a product discharging device and a mold.
The necessary operations of such an apparatus include the replacement of the molds, changing and checking operations of positioning and timing the bending slides, and repeating operations of adjusting the shape and accuracy of the products and the springs by operating the bending slides. These operations typically require three to eight hours (depending upon the shape and accuracy of the products) to switch between production of two different products. During this work, the normal manufacturing operations of the apparatus have to be stopped.
Several methods of shortening the preparation time by using a standard mold or the like are known. However, products can be formed with a standard mold are limited in number. In any event, fine adjustment of the leading end of a punch still has to be performed. The maximum savings attainable is only about one or two hours.